Unfolding Seasons–dVerse Quadrille 2–with all (both) words

Unfolding Seasons
Quadrille Collection

Part I Winter

i.
There is a purity to fresh-fallen snow,
the quiet of night, of nature’s repose,
birds, silent now, sleeping in dense junipers.

Walk alone, outside, in midnight dazzle
of virgin white. Snow crunches beneath your feet,
settles on trees, rocks, housetops.
You will discover magic.

Let’s see if I can jump into the challenge of using all the words for dVerse Quadrille and making sense. Today there are only 2: rock and crunch.

Photo: pexels. Labeled for non-commercial reuse.

Of Celebrations–Monday Meanderings

At this time of the year, introspection tends to creep in. Like the bears which have been visiting our neighborhood in search of food recently in preparation for hibernation, I find that winter invites those of us attuned to seasonal changes, to go within—to hibernate spiritually.

Photo: contenttime.com

This week, in the United States, we will join as families and friends to give thanks for the fruits of the harvest, for the many blessings we share. This marks, for us, the end of autumn.

Immediately after, we pick up the pace of our lives preparing for the holidays. It can get crazy. We strive to overcome darkness by turning toward the light. Worldwide, many do the same. Here, in the western hemisphere, Chanakkuh, Christmas and Kwanza festivities pepper the months of December. Each of these incorporates some celebration of light.

In my family, it is Christmas that will take center stage. Because Thanksgiving, which always occurs on the 4th Thursday of November, is so late this year, my husband is outside as we speak, putting lights on the front of our house. Over the last few days, I decorated the Christmas tree and set up our Nativity scene—a reminder of what it is we celebrate at Christmas…the coming of Light into chaotic darkness.

Photo Credit: David Slotto

As we ease into the madness of the all-too-commercial aspects of Christmas, I find it even more important to make time for reflection, to write, to seek a bit of solitude. For this to happen, I need to make the effort, to create sacred space. I confess that it is a huge effort for me, as I suspect for many of you with creative dispositions.

I wish all of you Happy Thanksgiving—even if you don’t mark the day as we do in this country. If we make each day a day of gratitude, I truly believe the world will be a better place, a happier place.

Perhaps you would share one or two things for which you are most grateful. For my part, right up there near the top are each of you, for the time you take to enrich my life through your blogs, comments and/or friendship.

Photo Credit: vidaorganicimages.com

Sacraments–dVerse Poetry Open Link Night

Image by joiseyshowaa via Flickr

Purple petals dance
with solemn passion,
swirl in a breeze
filled with promise.

Sacred fireflies
shine in the wild night,
reach into the doleful void
to dazzle.

A dead leaf swirls in
the center of a whirling
torrent, disappears
down the storm drain.

Earth convulses while
blizzards howl,
morphs in an empty afternoon
beneath hoary skies .

Sursum corda.

Linked to dVerse Poets’ Pub Open Link Night. You are invited to join us, cozy up to the bar and share a poem. Our hostess this week is Joy Ann Jones, also known as hedgewitch. You can be sure she will make the evening fun-filled and, perhaps, a bit intoxicating.

Wordsmith Wednesday–True Haiku

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Many of us enjoy writing 17 syllable poems that we call “Haiku.” These are divided into 3 lines of 5-7-5 syllables each. To be honest, we often take liberties with this centuries-old Japanese form, which is okay. As former poet Ted Kooser says in his wonderful book, The Poetry Home Repair Manual, “Don’t worry about rules.”

There’s another poet who is known for her translations of Japanese poets. In her stunning book Nine Gates, Entering the Mind of Poetry, Jane Hirshfield presents details of Haiku and other Asian forms. She presents such masters as Basho, Shikibu and Ono no Komachi.

A key element of Haiku (and similar forms) is its focus on the natural world. Using concrete sensory images–tactile, visual–these word artists create a subjective interpretation of objective reality. To me, this Zen-like experience is an example of the poet’s power to observe and translate the mundane into the sublime.

Another aspect of true Haiku is that the poem should always evoke one of the four seasons–either directly or obliquely through description.

In no way do I want to discourage Haiku that adheres only to syllable count. Rather, I invite you to take it a step further and try to compose a Haiku while turning to nature for inspiration and incorporating a seasonal reference.

I strongly suggest adding Hirschfield’s book, as well as Kooser’s to your library. You won’t be disappointed.

This week I will be posting three Haiku on One Shot Wednesday: http://onestoppoetry.com that observe the form as developed by the Japanese poets.

Monday Morning Writing Prompt–The Month of May

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The time of the year can set the tone for poetry or fiction. In some cases it can even act as a character. May has characteristics that are unique to different parts of our world. For this week’s prompt, write a poem that tells us something about May where YOU live, or a short story that you set in the month of May. If there are cultural events that take place this month, you might want to share something about them. Try to give your reader an experience of May.

Please leave a link featuring your work in the comments section of this post. This prompt is open indefinitely. I want it to be fun, not stress-filled and would like to have others join in and share your work.

April Desert

A poem celebrating spring, linked to Poetry Potluck http://jinglepoetry.blogspot.com/  for this week’s challenge: Color, Rainbows, Spring.

Linked to One Shot Wednesday: http://onestoppoetry.com/

Visit this site and browse some up-coming and seasoned poets and add a poem of your own if you like.

 

 

 

April Desert

The scent of flowering citrus trees
overpowers pungent Lantana
sprawling
beneath the window sill.

A mockingbird rules
from his perch on the chimney,
fills the air with
sacred song.

Palm trees relinquish fronds,
accede to winds
blowing from the West,
bow graciously.

At home, in the Sierra,
a layer of snow
swathes the budding
daffodils.

I lean against the knotted bark
of my ancient pepper tree,
crush its fruit,
taste the warmth of Spring.

Cricket’s Song

Image via Wikipedia

 

 

Cricket’s Song

When I awaken to sounds
of mockingbirds and scents
of jasmine blooming

and ducks begin
their mating nods and bobs
and doves build nests

when breezes billow
fluttering the leaves
scattering pear blossoms

and winter slips away
behind the blush of bronze
on snow-topped peaks

I know that soon the earth
will warm to sunlight’s touch
and revel in the song of summer.

Linked to One Stop Poetry: http://onestoppoetry.com/

Monday Morning Writing Prompt–Circular Poetry

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It’s Monday afternoon here and Tuesday in some part of the world. My house guests have left and little-by-little I will return to my routine and become re-acquainted with the goings-on in the world of our poetry communities.

For today’s prompt, I would like to suggest a circular poem (or short fiction.) Think about something that begins and ends back where it begins. You may consider life cycles, seasons, journeys, relationships, sacred geometry…anything that is cyclical/circular. You can use any poetic form if you choose to write poetry and may want to try something that uses repetition or even a structure such as a circle or spiral.

This week I didn’t have a chance to write anything, but hopefully I will have something for you very soon. Please submit your poem or a link to it in the comment section of this post. Short fiction is also welcome.

Monday Morning Writing Prompt

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This is the time of year when the seasons start to change. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, snow begins to melt and crocuses emerge from their winter’s rest. And, I suppose, below the equator, the opposite unfolds. Wherever we are, each day brings a dying and an awakening.

For today’s prompt, write about something in your life that is declining or coming to life. Or both.

Here’s mine:

Waking Up in Reno

Morning starts cranking
in slow motion.
Befuddled thoughts unfold
like arthritic joints.
Silence wraps the house,
except for the groaning heater
as it stretches and snarls.
A train rolls toward
city center
emitting a plaintive lament.
Everything’s on the verge
of arousing to another
twenty-four hours.

People stir into wakefulness
to repeat what they did the day before and
the day before that.
But here,
creativity simmers, sparks
then flares.
Steam from a
cup of coffee
fogs the computer screen.

If you respond to this prompt, please leave a link to your blog in the comments…or post your poem, if you prefer.

Passage–Jingle’s Poetry Potluck

Image by emdot via Flickr

Submitted to Jingle’s Poetry Potluck for which the theme is “The Road Ahead”: http://jinglepoetry.blogspot.com/

Passage

Through murky fog you stumble, step-by-step,
aware only of the terrain awaiting your next footfall.

Before you, somewhere, sun breaks out of gloom,
a purple crocus pierces the dank earth and snow.

Mockingbird sings of promise, Mother Dove gathers
twigs for her nest. Earth stretches, shakes off sleep.

In faith you move forward, trusting that each moment
will sustain you, nudge you onward in your journey,

that choices you have made today will bring to you
a morrow of meadows kissed with fragrant hues.